DAY OF PRETENDERS

I laughed when I read in 'The day of the pretenders' (State of the state, #387) that the YCL cadres think that Prachanda is going to be president, which is of course unacceptable to anyone other than the Maoists and their supporters. To be a president you should know what democracy means and respect other people's opinions. I don't think he is fit to be president without any improvements in his party and his own politics.

Suraj,
email

. Mr Dahal wants to be the president of Nepal but he is not aware of the problems of lower class Nepali people, and he is doing nothing to help them. He just wants the seat of power and is playing the nationalist card to try and get it. I had to leave my home because of the Maoists three years ago and I am currently struggling to make my livelihood in India. They need to know that the Nepali people want them to help the poor, not just intimidate people.

Ishwor Aryal,
email

. You are claiming that the existence of the Nepali monarchy and the successful holding of elections depends on the wishes of the Indians. Do you really believe that is true?

Name withheld,
email

POLITICAL GAMES

Prashant Jha's article 'Plan A' (#387) seems quite convincing. The Indian government really doesn't have a clear plan for Nepal if the CA election isn't held in April. It seems to be under tremendous pressure from both right and left to get a resolution this time, and so is being more helpful than it has been in the past, but I wonder how long we have to expect something to be done from the other side of border. Our political dependence on India has made most of our leaders look like clowns. They seem to forget that the April Uprising gave them a clear mandate to be followed-instead of doing that they run round in circles. I still believe a sincere engagement from the government can change the scenario in the Tarai. Instead of helping to calm it, the PM's insensitive utterances have fuelled the issue time and again. The other parties play a waiting game, but they should realise they will be the eventual losers.

Uday Adhikary,
Hetauda

GOVERNANCE

'Pre-poll poll' (#386) has shown the deepening frustrations among the general public. The political parties have proved that core development issues are not their concerns. Development will not be possible unless they reinstate the local government and authorities. I totally understand that the constituent assembly election is a dire necessity at the moment, but the local bodies' reinstatement is also a necessity and the mainstream political parties have to understand this.

Sanam Chitrakar,
Kathmandu

HEALTHCARE

It is very sad to know that the TEAM hospital has been closed down under pressure from the Maoists ('In god's hands,' #387). How can they meddle like that when people's lives are at stake? It is very inhumane of them not to recognise that people should not be deprived of fundamental rights. This one is about the right to live. I hope the article will raise concern among the responsible authorities and help reopen the hospital.

Prerana M,
email

. Dear Mr Dixit, I was rather disappointed after reading your article about the TEAM hospital. The subject matter itself is saddening, but you also failed to look into some of the deeper underlying reasons for the closure of the hospital. Why did the Maoist leader say the doctors were "agents of American imperialism"? What were the assumptions on which he based his allegations but was unable to explain due to his own lack of intellectual capacity? What have been the cultural, religious and social implications in the surrounding villages after half a century's presence of an evangelical mission in one of the remotest part of the country?
The article would have been more informative if it had tried to address these bigger questions. Filing a field report on a 'blame-the-Maoists' pretext does no more good than communists ranting about 'imperialism' as the root of all the nation's problems. However, I must admit that the title was apt: often in Nepal the government has left us in god's hands!

AK Adhikari,
email

. That was a good article from Aruna Uprety ('Free drugs', #387) Regarding corruption, strict monitoring-better decentralised monitoring-is a key to controlling it. Involving young local people in the local monitoring committee can be very effective, and it should be supported through public auditing on a regular basis. However, we live in a country where there is one security person for every 20 people, but 300 people have to depend upon one health person. Obviously, there is an overload of work for health workers-can we do anything to change this imbalance? We should also try and promote alternative and traditional health systems-that would make a real difference.

Prakash Shrestha,
Kathmandu

ORPHANAGES

Many thanks to Wilko Verbakel and Susan Van Klaveren for their great article about the uselessness of children's homes in Nepal ('Mushrooming orphanages', #387). The article raises many serious questions which I think both Nepalis and foreigners alike may not have considered: whether children homes should be allowed to open so easily or not, the self-sustainability issue, criminal activities related to children homes, and whether donor money should be used for development in rural areas rather than opening children's homes. I only hope that this article will generate some response from the related authorities and the donors.

Avani D,
email